Is It Cheaper to Be Nudist?

I just saw an ad for a nudist fish fry in our local weekly paper. My first question was how on earth do you safely deep fry anything while in the nude? Yow! And my second question was, Is it cheaper to be a nudist?

Certainly, nudism has its benefits: no decisions about what to wear, no worry of panty lines, no deodorant stains on your shirts, and in the August heat of South Carolina where I live, the idea of living naked – or nekkid as we say here – sure is tempting. Except that, I would get tired of standing up because I wouldn’t want to sit on any of my furniture in the buff. I just walked around my house to make sure this is true. Let’s see, the light yellow upholstered floral couch in the sun room, nooooooo; the antique wooden dining chairs that belonged to my grandmother, noooooo; the fake suede overstuffed chair in my writing room, nooooo. It seems to me that it would be more expensive to have my upholstery steam cleaned weekly – at a minimum – than I would save on laundry if I were a nudist.

And then, there are the medical bills; remember the fish fry? I shiver every time I think about it.

So I went to the nudist website noted in the ad to check it out. I have listed here a few of the annual activities – I did not make these up, I cut and pasted them – on their calendar of events and my thoughts on the possible financial impact of each one.

Potluck Lunch and Relaxation in the Sun – Remember to use copious amounts of sun block or there could be some medical expenses. Before attending such an event, be sure to see if your health insurance covers transportation costs to the nearest burn unit; I know from experience that sunburned nipples really, really hurt.

Halloween Party & Costume Contest – You could easily go to this party dressed – or more accurately, undressed – as a porn star for an absolutely free costume idea, though I would imagine that’s been done to death.

But remember, even though it’s Thanksgiving, no dressing allowed (sorry).

Lobster Bash – Of course, lobster is pricey but I think the hot butter is what to look out for here – again, possible medical bills.

Winter Holiday Party – Word of caution guys, watch out for shrinkage. This could cost you emotionally but probably not financially.

East Coast Nude Chili Cookoff – On the upside, you wouldn’t have to worry about pesky chili stains on your shirt so you’d save on laundry. However, I don’t know about you, but knowing the effect chili has on most people’s digestive track, I believe I would prefer that there is some sort of clothing filter – however ineffective it may be – between me all those chili eaters’ bodies. So, I would advise skipping this shindig regardless of the financial implications.

Mardi Gras Celebration – I guess this is where women get beads for putting a shirt on? I believe this event would be financially neutral unless someone made an unfortunate Fat Tuesday remark in your direction and you had to come up with bail money.

Pioneer Days Supper – Circle the wagons, boys, these here folk is a-naked. I’m not sure what Pa Ingles would’ve done if he had discovered Half-Pint at one of these gatherings but I guess financially, speaking, she wouldn’t have been any worse off.

Mexican Theme Potluck Supper – Okay, this is too easy, insert your own lewd taco reference here. Mexican food is generally inexpensive so attendance is probably a wise move, financially speaking. Guys, just be sure to back waaaaay away from the blindfolded person swinging wildly at the piÃ±ata to avoid you guessed it, possible medical bills and a blunt force trauma style vasectomy.

Canoe Trip – Not exactly Lewis and Clark but still bound to be a journey of discovery. As a canoe enthusiast myself, I know that poison ivy is often a risk along riverbanks. Yikes! Again, sun block and medical bills.

National Nude Recreation Weekend at Whispering Pines – Those aren’t the pines whispering; those are the elders from the neighboring Baptist retreat conferring after seeing for themselves – solely for the benefit of their respective congregations – that this cavorting in the flesh is, in fact, a sin.

Financially speaking, pine sap is extremely difficult to remove from skin and can seal fleshy parts together like superglue which could result in, you guessed it, more medical bills with a possible arborist consult fee.

So, it seems that the expense of more sun block, a gym membership (the pressure would be on to look your best), nudist club membership (where else can you be nude except at the club unless you live in Europe), medical bills for doing things naked that are ill-advised like deep frying anything, upholstery cleaning, would add up to more than you would save on fewer clothes, less laundry, no need for a bathing suit, no waxing, eating less because of the sight of some unappetizing things and your immediate view of your growing stomach as you eat.

Speaking of Europe, I discovered during a trip to Germany – whose citizens will get naked at the drop of a hat – that the people who most want to be naked are the people you least want to see naked. And finally, one last thought on the subject, I went out with a nudist once who my sister and I called, unbeknownst to him, Free Willy. But that’s a story for another day.

Very funny observations! I used to live in a town that had a nudist colony, and they didn’t even get to save on clothes because they still had to wear clothing to work and school — they were just nude at home.

Very funny!!! But OBVIOUSLY, the author and some of the commentators have no idea what nudism (or naturism) are all about.

Nudists are most typically very comfortable in their skin, and are accustomed to seeng other people in their own, less than perfect skin, so little if any “ogling” goes on and no need to add a gym membership.

Nudists are practical, not stupid, so they know to wear the appropriate gear depending on function or weather. Also, they generally learn how to tan without burning, so forget the medical expenses. In fact, the extra exposure to the sun actually helps the body ward off many forms of cancers and conditions.

Nudist save money by not buying, washing, drying and storing so many clothes, which makes them more environmentally friendly. If everyone were nudists, think of all the CO2 emmissions that would be saved.

And we nudists save money on air conditioning! All in all, I’ve observed that it’s cheaper to be a nudist. As for the fish fry, wear an apron if you have to, but I’ve successfully fried bacon in the nude without medical bills.

If eating and cooking in the nude were a real problem, nudists wouldn’t do it. But we have countless potluck suppers, chili cookoffs, lobster boils, corn roasts, luaus and what-have-you at nudist clubs and resorts (note: they’re never called “colonies” by nudists themsleves only the media refer to them as colonies) all over the U.S. and the world.

Families with members aged from 1 to 90 enjoy this adventurous, wonderfully liberating lifestyle and the camaraderie these events foster.

It is also a cardinal rule to always sit on a towel in any nudist gathering or venue. Don’t belive me? Come on out to a nudist event and experience it for yourself.

It seems as if the author went to my club’s (Travelites) website. We’re in our 21st year celebrating de-stressing, relaxing, and getting back to innocense. Nudism is not about being seen or seeing. Nudism is about accepting yourself and others for who you are and not what you look like, own, or wear.

Nudism is the great human equalizer. When we lost our clothes, we didn’t lose our common sense. When cooking, we use an apron. When being out in the sun, we wear sunscreen. I’ve been a nudist for almost 40 of my nearly 60 years, and I can tell you that I do not look my age possibly because I’ve learned how to de-stress.
BTW, our other website is at http://pages.prodigy.net/travelites

Yet another article by a (web) writer who’s trying (too hard) for yucks. However, I find little humor in any of her comments–and that’s not from a naturist viewpoint either. All they point out to me is how little she knows about her chosen subject–not a good thing for a reporter. I find it troubling that, in a society where the tolerance drum is beaten so often, most people who pass for reporters don’t take the least time to investigate what they are writing about. This not-so-humorous humor piece just shows me how many issues the writer has with her own body–and the simple fact of the imperfections of others. My advice to you, Ms. Kaiser, is to stick to straight reporting–or send your stuff in to Howard Stern; he’d appreciate the puerile humor. Better yet, don’t start poking sharp sticks at people you haven’t had the courtesy of learning anything about. I’m not usually this caustic, but cheap-shot writing like this ticks me off. Humor is one thing, but this hateful little diatribe, couched in humorous terms, reminds me too much of another hit-piece about another group of naturists who didn’t deserve what they got either. You should know better. Enough already!

I can see both sides of the argument being made here. Having been exposed (no pun intended) to social nudism while living in Europe, I came back to the US wanting to continue this positive experience. However, social nudism has not really reached the level of freedom or acceptability that it has across the pond.

In Europe social nudism is ‘the norm’ – read as something that can be and is often just done. Social nudism is not relegated to closed gate communities, out of the way resorts, clubs requiring membership and fees. Instead, social nudism is something that can be done at ones discretion – of course this is also possible because Europeans do not take this to mean in the middle of the shopping district with groping involved. Rather, if you are some place where less than fully dressed is acceptable, than completely nude is acceptable as well..

The result is the much more healthy perspective of the human body in all of its forms!

Given the puritanical perspective that Americans have of the naked body – that nude = sex – it is not surprising that clothing optional acitivities must take place in a secure setting – as not to ‘offend’. However, this is a cyclical argument because without being in the open, the naked form never becomes acceptable.

I think that Tom is severely overreacting to an article that is merely meant to be a lighthearted commentary on how a way that we might think would save us money on clothing may not really be that convenient or money-saving. I don’t think this article is at all hateful or mean-spirited. Don’t let bitter, frustrated people get you down, Meredith!

Lighthearted commentary? As if. Since when is it lighthearted to poke fun at EVERY aspect of someone’s beliefs? Gee Amy, suppose I were to find out what you really are passionate about and I wrote a piece on the Internet poking fun at every aspect of that? How would you feel then? It’s a little different when the shoe is on the other foot. Try using this form of lighthearted commentary with gays, blacks, or Muslims and see how THAT flies! (I didn’t mention Christians, since they’re fair game too.) I doubt Ms. Kaiser would even try. But what really frosts me is the general tone of the article, and the fact it didn’t get a single aspect of nudism/naturism correct, even from a financial aspect. Sure, I can take a joke—when it’s a joke and not a hit-piece. Ms. Kaiser says she had a nudist boyfriend—which I doubt very much. She obviously didn’t pay the slightest attention to what he did as a nudist (aside from poking fun at his anatomy with her sister—I wonder how she’d like him poking fun at her body parts with his brothers, or friends?), or she would know 90% of her observations were bunk (or drummed up for lame humor). But I think she knew exactly what she was doing—taking advantage of others to drum up some humor. This is what passes for journalism today. Ironically, it didn’t work—because none of it was funny. Frustrated? You bet I am! Organized naturism has been around in Europe since at least 1905, and in this country since 1929. It’s the 21st century for Pete’s sake—find another drum to beat! America has become so body-phobic and neurotic, that people shudder at the least thought of seeing some bare flesh; and all some people can come up with is to poke fun at a newspaper ad that was intended to offer a different way to recreate. If it’s not for you, fine, just dial back on the hyperbole and hateful humor. And, just for the record, for all you misinformed correspondents, the term nudist colony is incorrect—it’s nudist camp, park, or resort. Nudist colony is as out of vogue as buggy whips. Oh, and, one more thing: nude recreation is the FASTEST growing segment of the recreation industry. At least some people get it.

It’s unfortunate that this writer thought it was easier to make fun of others without fully investigating her subject. She approached the topic with preconceived ideas and didn’t deviate from them. She should have, at the bare minimum, contacted a member of the group she was writing about for their views.

I did appreciate your humor, Meredith, and took it that way. And, yes, nudists surely don’t go nude to save money; wasn’t that your point? 🙂 I enjoy dressing up in different costumes, or no costume at all. Appropriate settings are always important. For example, a bikini is designed to focus attention on one’s private parts, and that is perfect when one wants to turn those parts into sex objects to be ogled. Even business costumes, like men’s shoulder pads in suits, phoney up one part or another to give us a sexy look. Nothing wrong with that, but if people think they can hide fat or poor physical condition by textiles, they are fooling nobody. As soon as they move, you know, and they look worse for the bulk. We have to get over our body fears and accept ourselves as we are if we are ever to deal with other people without judging them as if they were put here to be somebody else’s sex object. Yeah, yeah. You have no hang ups with your body. Please come to one of our events, resorts or beaches (www.aanr.com) and see how many real body fears you will finally be free of. 🙂

Obviously, Ms. Kaiser did no research for her sophomoric attempt at humor. The most rudimentary search of nudist websites would have given guidelines of nudist behavior and etiquette.

Nudists always sit on towels, although, a nudist butt is probably more sanitary than a butt that spends all its time wrapped in clothing, collecting moisture and odors. Nudists are the cleanest people on the planet. Central features in nudist clubs are lakes, swimming pools, spas, and saunas. Showering is required before swimming and since it’s so convenient, with no clothing to remove, many simply step into a shower several times a day to cool off.

Nudists take more care to avoid sunburn because they are more aware of what damage can occur from too much sun, and take appropriate precautions. Living in a Florida beach community, I see many more sunburned bodies in swimsuits, especially around the suit lines. Putting on sunscreen is much easier if you don’t have clothing in the way.

Another benefit of nudism is the mental health aspect. Nudists are much less prone to stress and are more tolerant of others. Nudists typically don’t insult the lifestyle choices and physical attractiveness of others as Ms. Kaiser has done in this post.

A word of advice; Before putting your name on an article and promoting yourself as an expert, do the research, learn about the chosen subject, and avoid making assumptions based on juvenile anecdotes. Actually spend a day at a nudist club and see for yourself what it’s really about. Don’t forget your towel and sunscreen.

I’m so sorry this article gets so much negative attention. For all of those who complained who actually subsribed (and shame on those who didn’t), let me remind you of the post on the main blog page, that claims that though accuracy is attempted, it is not guaranteed.

Additionally, this article is written from a perspective. It is not a journalistic piece, but an editorial, just as each comment is. It is a specualtion on the cost necessities of a group that the author is not a part of. And lastly, everyone who contemplates the life of anyone different does not research it to its fullest. If this were an interview of an expert, then some of these comments would be warranted. Elsewise, this is just one person writing one specualtive piece.

Frankly, the hassle of carrying a towel equates to the hassle of carrying a purse, which I choose liberally not to do. But I must imagine that the towel has a pocket for one’s identification and cash…

This reminds me of a comedian at a comedy club who made a joke about warnings of what to do in case of fire on an airliner. The flight attendants point out the emergency lights near the bottoms of the aisle seats. The comedian tried to get laughs by saying that it was stupid to have these lights because the roaring fire would provide plenty of light. But this wasn’t funny at all, because most fires are accompanied by thick, black smoke, reducing visibility to zero except for a small space just above the floor. That is why they have emergency lights near the floor.

There was also a beer commercial on the radio that made fun of people who use 50 SPF sunscreen because nobody is ever in sunlight for 50 hours. The ignorant writer didn’t realize that the SPF doesn’t represent the number of hours. Jokes that make fun of people are funny because they ring true. If they are based on wrong impressions, they aren’t funny. If you don’t believe me, think of impressionists such as Rich Little). When the impressions are good, we laugh. When they aren’t, we tend to have no reaction.

And speaking of sunscreen, recent products are amazing. I have seen very fair-skinned caucasions nude on the beach for hours without getting burned. I even saw an albino once (although it was after 6:00 PM).

And by the way, Fern, how many nudist groups have you participated in?

I have to agree that the article is very lame. Kind of reminds me of stuff that my 79 year old mother would make up trying to get a laugh. Mostly ended up with a groan.
Get some experience with what you’re writing about, then you’ll come off as knowledgeable not apathetic towards other’s way of life.

I found it humorous and I see no reason that the nudists should get all up in arms about it. I also see a huge difference between making fun comments about a lifestyle choice rather than something inherent like being gay or black (it’s open season on religions as far as I’m concerned even though it could be argued that people have less of a choice here since they were likely brainwashed by their parents from an early age).

[quote]how on earth do you safely deep fry anything while
in the nude?[/quote]

Don’t Splash.

By the way. The first thing you should do if you happen to get hot liquid spilled on you, is to remove the clothing from that area.
Clothing holds the heat and can make the burn even worse. And in severe cases the clothing will stick to the skin causing more pain the longer it’s attached.

As for your many comments on sunblock, If you are nude in the sun most of the time you get something known as a “TAN”. This is your bodys natural way to protect you from the sun. And nudists , unlike the Fabric Impared, have enough common sense to limit sun exposure if their skin isn’t used to it. You never see a nudist laying on a beach looking like a lobster. That’s reserved for people that havn’t exposed their skin to sun untill the first day of their vacation.

Being a nudist doesn’t save money. That’s not the purpose of nudism. But it saves stress, freedom, body acceptance and a sense of well being that you can’t get from any other form of recreation.

And by the way. Nudists live normal lives in every other way. We work, shop, and eat at resturaunts just like everyone else.
So next time your out in public, ask yourself,
Is the person next to me one of the millions of people that enjoys nude recreation while on vacations , or just a well dressed nudist out on the town.

See, this is exactly what is wrong with so many groups. Instead of educating people, they go around calling names.

If you don’t like the article and think that it reflects nudist in a poor light, instead of insulting people you should be educating them. With comments like some of the ones I’ve seen here, why would anyone want to become a nudist.

Even if you feel the initial article was incorrect and wrong, does that that justify you going to the same level or worse? Exactly what you don’t like you are doing to others. If you think something is incorrect, then spend the time to educate instead of saying that they are a “stupid and ignorant cow” (yeah, that’s going to win you a lot of points – why would anyone want to be a nudist if people like that are part of the group?)

It’s your responsibility as a group to educate if people have the wrong impression and if your education is calling people names, it reflects on you as a group.

I say that you have pretty much alienated anyone that at one point had an open mind…

– Still air in a house is a much better insulator than clothing. Contrary to expectations, it is not a problem to be nude in the winter in the house. When sitting for long periods, there are cover ups that are more comfortable, sanitary, washable and healthy than most clothes. Jeans constrict blood flow from the legs when sitting, contributing to strokes and embolisms, and bras constrict the lymphs, contributing to lymph and breast cancer.

– Scrubs in the Operating Room have been shown to shed over ten times the number of skin cells shed by a person without clothing (the baseline). Clothing scrapes off skin cells that move easily through clothing (the holes in a weave are a thousand time bigger than a cell) to feed the dust mites in furniture and carpets. Those cells that don’t make it through build up islands of sweat, bacteria and dust mites in the clothing. Unless washed daily or every other day, clothing is a cesspool held against your skin, the soft, foul odor hidden with the strong smells of deodorants and perfumes.

– Relying on ordinary clothing to prevent trauma, sexual activity or crime is a fools game. I’m not saying not to wear clothing. Just don’t look at ordinary clothing as protection. When I cook with hot, dangerous liquids, I put on a thick apron and thermal mitts, whether I’m nude or not. Typical clothing is worse than nothing. To prevent unhealthy or unwholesome activities, we fill the time with wholesome activities and deny privacy all around.

-The sunscreen label tells you not to stay in the sun longer. Why? Unless you use opaque zinc oxide, you have no guarantee whatsoever that the cancer causing UVA is screened out. The sunburn causing UVB is screened out, so you have no warning that you are inducing cancer in yourself. Here is one of many references: http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/964647970.html “…In the first study to test the protective effect of sunscreens on people — not just the hairless mice used in laboratory studies — researchers at the Queensland Institute for Medical Research in Brisbane, Australia, reported in 1999 that sunscreen use reduces the risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma by 40%. But using sunscreen did not reduce the risk of developing melanoma or basal cell carcinoma.” (Note: those two cause almost all deaths from skin cancer.) What you need is shade. You can go in and out of shade all day. Kids naturally do it. No swimming pool should be allowed to exist without adequate shade over at least half the pool. It’s a safety risk.

My wife and I have been nusists for over 40 years. I am an officiate and preform nude weddings. I loved your commentary because it is to me funny I have a selection of why nude weddings are cheaper,all the bridesmaids dresses are the same, no tux rental, silk flowers are best no bees. On the real side of life comedy aside, being a nudist is a very free state of mind, we do not go to look or be looked at. It is the great equalizer with out the dressing you get to know who your friends are inside and that is where real people are. My wife once weighed 380 pounds because of some medical issues, our nudists friends were the only ones that could look her in the eye and know she is the most wonderful person. People in the textile world didn’t take the time to talk to her, never knew what they missed. She is well now and a more normal weight. Mediacal bills not from sunburn. We do not even use sunblock,if we were going to be at a nude beach we take a shade structure. Our club has so much fun on the 15’th we are going to have redneck nudelympics at the oldest nude park in South Carolina.(colony come on)
Seriously try Nudist lifestyle with an open mind then write your article.

The mistake alot of people make is reading an opinion/humor piece as if it were a straight news article. We all need to be a bit more media savvy. I’m a nudist, and I took this piece to be satirical.

As for nudists in general, we tend to get defensive about humor pieces because we’ve seen so many that use humor to attack us as weirdos and we’re tired of it. (I’m not saying that was done here.) Of course that does not excuse rude responses. You lose whatever supporters you may have that way.

But if there were one request most of us could make, it might be to make some new jokes. In the Internet age, you read one commentary on nudism by a non-nudist, you’ve pretty much read ’em all.

Maybe nudists need to start writing jokes about being naked, to show these “textiles” how it’s done. That would beat complaining or preaching. Or how about a piece imagining what it must be like to wear clothes?

Water Buffalo, I agree with the end of your comment about nudists needing to do our own jokes about ourselves. As I said before, I don’t think jokes based on totally incorrect impressions are funny. But if there’s any basis in truth, they can be hilarious. Now isn’t a good time for me to be writing jokes, but if I think of one, I’ll post it here.

Quote: “I think nudist groups are made up mostly of men who want to ogle women. Weirdos, if you ask me.”

No one asked you–especially since you have no idea what you’re talking about. If we’re “mostly men” then where are the women to ogle? Also, you’re obviously unaware that most nudists are old and way overweight. Why would I want to ogle a woman who weighs twice what I do, or is 20 or more years my senior? At 5’8″ and 190 pounds and aged 61, I’m one of the skinniest and youngest nudists I’ve seen.

I enjoy it because God has removed the shame of my body He gave me. I enjoy the comfort of being nude–especially since I live in Florida where clothes are useless.

Perverts are NOT welcome in nudist resorts. They are told to leave and not return, and are blacklisted in other resorts. Some may be arrested depending on what they do. Children and women are safer in nudist resorts than they are at non-nudist beaches. Most nudist resorts are family oriented, and there is NO sexual activity allowed in public. Cameras are NOT allowed.

We’re too busy swimming, soaking in the hot tub, enjoying outdoor games like volley ball, tennis and others, or just soaking up the sun and getting an all-over tan to ogle anyone even if there was anyone to ogle. While all bodies are beautiful because God created them, not all bodies look good enough to ogle. LOL!

Its only cheap from the 1st article approach to Nude Rec.
The above article I question.
Save the kayaking & canoeing or canude.

Nudists only save money:
1. At nudist colonies.
2. some pvt homes
Otherwise Impossible to achieve for many in So CA who had 1 week of 103 plus F Heat alone.
So CA has Too few Nude Areas for Public acess to make Economics viable.
Good Econ case though.

There are things you can safely do in the nude and there are things best done with clothing. I have found that I can do many everyday chores and activities while nude with no increased risk to my body. Put nudism to the test. Next time you clean the house, cook or if possible some yard work do it nude.

Funny article! I did like it! I doubt whether it is realy cheaper to be a nudist, as still, they have to wear clothes at work, and other public places. But the article is really good, I laughed! Thanks!

In response to reader comment 2. I am a very attractive 28 year old female nudist my vagina is shaved. you call men weirdos well you speak from a point of ignorance ogle women well we ogle men and I have seen several women masterbate in the sunas, spas, and even in the cafeterias of nudist colonies. It is on both sides of the fence ignoramus!

In comment #47 the behavior Janet mentions would not be tolerated at any of the many nudist clubs/resorts that I have visited. The behaviors she mentions would get a person walked off the club/resort property. Reading how she describes resorts as colonies leads me to believe she has yet to visit a clothing optional resort. The only colonies I am aware of are bee colonies.